Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state which claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless, and appealed to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and live together in a peaceful and prosperous state.
The MoU was signed on Monday between representatives of the state government and leaders of the Kangleipak communist Party-Nongdreinkhomba, Kuki National Liberation Front and Kuki Revolutionary Party.
The bomb (improvised explosive device), planted near the roadside at Yaiskul bus stand here to attack the security personnel, went off at 6.20 am killing one person on the spot and injuring eight others, they said.
The proceedings began at 11 am with two-minute silence for those killed in the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis that began on May 3.
Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Friday wrote letters to fellow chief ministers, urging them to oppose the Communal Violence Bill saying it was a blatant intrusion upon the powers of the state governments.
While the Congress demanded immediate sacking of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the Samajwadi Party and a few others sought imposition of President's rule in the state that has witnessed sporadic violence in since May 3.
Clashes erupted between agitators and police in Greater Imphal area on Sunday as supporters of introduction of Inner Line Permit in Manipur continued their defiance of the curfew, which stepped into the fifth day, and took to the streets in large numbers.
A powerful bomb exploded close to Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh's official residence amid high security deployment on Independence Day eve but no casualty was reported.
On Thursday, he had visited relief camps in Churachandpur, one of the worst affected towns in the ethnic rioting, which has plagued the northeastern state for the last two months.
On paper, the prestigious Wangkhei assembly constituency in the heart of Manipur capital Imphal will witness a multi-cornered contest but all eyes will be on the interesting fight between senior minister Y Erabot Singh and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's nephew Henry Okram.
Blockade is an issue which has seemingly widened the divide between the hills and the plains.
Ten Manipur tribal MLAs Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to withdraw Assam Rifles from security duties in the violence-hit state, saying its personnel have been putting their lives at risks to create buffer zones between the two warring communities.
The governor justified her decision to invite the BJP, saying the party has requisite numbers.
'It is difficult to replace him because if he is replaced, it will lead to a sense of defeat among the Meiteis, rightly or wrongly, and more chaos.'
The blockade was imposed by the United Naga Council on November 1 to protest against the creation of seven new districts.
The four MLAs, accompanied by Sangma and BJP's trouble-shooter and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, visited the Raj Bhavan in the afternoon to submit letter of support to the BJP-led government.
'Meiteis started feeling insecure stating that the illegal immigrant population is growing in the valley, and that the majority community would become a minority.'
Henry Okram, nephew of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ibobi Singh, Panonam Broken, Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Ngamthang Haokip, Ginsuanhau Zou were inducted into the BJP by its vice president Baijayant Jay Panda.
The Union home ministry said there was 'substantial progress' on the issues in the talks.
With the counting for the high-stakes assembly elections is on in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, here's a look at some of the big names and where they stand.
Shatrughan Sinha won't attend, citing 'important personal engagements.' Will L K Advani be present? M I Khan reports on a swearing-in ceremony the likes of which Patna may not have seen before.
Officials said the EC has directed them to provide security to Sharmila as 'she travels alone almost all the time'.
Political parties were bracing for the assembly election results on Thursday in the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and politically volatile Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, sending out feelers for possible post-poll tie-ups.
The Seismological department said that the quake measured 6.8 on the Richter scale and lasted for about two minutes.
After Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, discontent is brewing among Congress MLAs in Manipur.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf lists seven states where the Grand Old Party suffered a severe setback.
Sharmila said a section of people even wanted her 'martyrdom' during the 16-year old fast against the AFSPA that she decided to end last year.
Congress and RJD are single largest parties in Goa and Bihar respectively.
5 states that contribute just under a fifth of the Lok Sabha's seats will go to the polls early this year.
'As soon as the violence broke out, they should have stepped in and sent a message that the state is there to stop this violence.' 'Had they done it right there, the situation would not have gone out of control.'
In a protests against the decision of Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to invite BJP to form the government despite falling short of the required numbers, the Congress has been demanding they be called to form the government in Goa and Manipur as it had emerged as the largest party in the 2017 assembly election.
The two parties, however, are in a neck-and-neck race in Manipur and Goa.
Deepti Priya Mehrotra, who documented Irom Sharmila's struggle for peace in Manipur in the book Burning Bright, puts the icon's electoral loss in perspective.
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